Improvement in door-plate and letter-box



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EDWARD A. HOPKINS, OF MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA.

IMPROVEMENT IN' DOOR-PLATE AND LETTER-BOX.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 7 2,493, dated December24, 1867.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, EDWARD A. HOPKINS,

of Minneapolis, in the county of Hennepin and State of Minnesota, haveinvented a new and useful Improvement in Door-Plates, called a FCombined Letter-Box and Door-Plate, the purpose' of which is to renderthat which has hitherto answered the one purpose of a doorplate onlyalso useful in facilitating the .delivery by carriers of letters andpapers, secure from loss or damage by the elements or by theft, and alsoto provide a signal to occupants of the arrival of their mail; and l dohereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exactdescription of my invention, reference being had tothe accompanyingdrawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, making a partof this specification.

The construction of my combined letter-box and door-plate is as follows:A A represent the frame of an ordinary metallic door-plate, which isfastened upon the door in the usual manner. B B is an interior frame,also of metal, which fits closely within the larger frame, and is hungthereto upon the inside at the upper and interior angles of A, by meansof the metallic rod a a. and hinges b b. Into the frame B are set twoplates-the outer of glass, the inner of metal. Between these is inserteda card, inscribed with the name of the occupant, the glass being :firstbedded in, then the card inserted, and the metallic plate fastened on byscrews or buttons, (as d d d,) or by other means, but always in such amanner as to be easily'removed whenever it is desired to changev thecard. This interiorframe B, with the plates thus inserted, forms y thelid of the letter-box.

purpose of impelling the hammer D to strikel the bell when the lidfalls. It also serves to keep the lid always tightly closed except whenforced open to receive mails. G is a slot cut in the door to allow thelidto be raised.

l. The construction of an ordinary metallic and glass door-'plate with adouble frame, A

and B, and the arrangement of B within A, so as to form a letter-boxlid.

2. The combination with B of the spring C and hammer D, for the purposeof striking the bell E as the lid falls, all substantially as and forthe purpose set forth.

EDWARD A. HOPKINS.

In presence of- E. S. JONES, W. E. AMBLER.

